Sprint rolls out an HD option for its new unlimited data plan

T-Mobile last week announced that it would be moving to a single, unlimited data plan that would effectively eliminate traditional data plans. Dubbed T-Mobile One and scheduled to launch on September 6, the plan was ripe with fine print that you don’t want to gloss over like the fact that the base package only allows for streaming of non-HD video (subscribers can enable HD playback for $25 extra per month).

Sprint, the nation’s fourth largest wireless carrier, unveiled a very similar plan (with similar restrictions) called Unlimited Freedom on the same day as T-Mobile. The key difference between the two offerings is that Sprint’s plan didn’t offer an upgrade path to HD. That’s no longer the case.

On Friday, Sprint announced a second package called Unlimited Freedom Premium that allows for up to HD-quality streams for an additional $20 per month (the base Unlimited Freedom package sells for $60). Best yet, those that sign up ASAP can get the Premium service upgrade for free through October 31.

How does that compare to T-Mobile One? Well, there are a few key differences.

Whereas T-Mobile One allows for video streams of up to 4K, Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom Premium limits HD video streams to 1080p+ (music is limited to 1.5Mbps while streaming gaming is capped at up to 8Mbps).

Something else you’ll also want to consider is the price. For a single line, you’ll pay $15 less with Sprint each month if you were to get the basic and HD streaming packages with either carrier. The savings jump to $30 a month if you add a second line to the account: $140 for Sprint and $170 for T-Mobile.